Cuisine convoy at Riverfront Park —Sauce Magazine brings Metro East first to Alton

Metro East’s first Food Truck Festival of family fun

By Jill Moon - jmoon@civitasmedia.com

Since May of 2011, when Sauce Food Truck Fridays began, it has hosted 27 food truck festivals, which run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park, pictured, in St. Louis.

Last year during Sauce Food Truck Fridays’ six-month season, approximately 24,000 people attended the event series. Sauce Food Truck Fridays also has received national recognition from the industry publication FOLIO with its FOLIO and +min FAME Award for Best Regional Magazine Event Nationwide in both 2012 and 2013. Sauce Food Truck Fridays run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park, pictured, in St. Louis.

ALTON — The food truck trend began truckin’ into the region when Sauce Magazine founder realized a need to round them up all in one place, thus sparking the region’s first festival of tempting trucks — the Metro East’s first such festival is this month.

“I saw a trend happening in 2010,” said Sauce’s Allyson Mace, who’s also the publisher of Sauce, the region’s first and most sought-after food magazine. “Once St. Louis had a number of trucks on the road, I felt the need to visit all of them. Unfortunately, they were roaming all over town and that proved difficult to visit them all.”

Envisioning an easier way, Mace decided to invite each and every mobile eatery to one location, which developed into today’s regular events — Sauce Food Truck Fridays. Sauce is the sole organizer of the region’s largest food truck festivals, on which more information can be found at www.saucemagazine.com.

“So, we could have the opportunity to try them in one sitting,” she explained to the Telegraph. “I did this in Tower Grove Park so it would be a nice picnic-like setting, and it was a good place to lineup the trucks without causing brick and mortar restaurants to suffer.”

Sauce’s adventure with food trucks started with nine eateries participating including popular Pi Pizza in St. Louis’ University City neighborhood. Social media was a major road map to where the trucks roamed.

“We followed the trucks coming into the market via Twitter and invited trucks that would be a good fit — food-wise — for guests to try,” Mace explained.

Since May of 2011, when Sauce’s cuisine convoy began, it has hosted 27 food truck festivals, which run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis.

Going a step farther, Mace’s visionary idea led some trucks to expand into brick and mortar restaurants versus the notion that trucks were an expansion of a stationary establishment.

“We have had three top trucks go brick and mortar — Lulu’s, Seoul Taco and Guerrilla Street,” Mace said. “They are doing great business, too. They built a strong following, then took to brick and mortar.”

Though cornering the organizational market with food truck events, Sauce has partnered with various establishments and special events to produce truck festivals, its most significant and successful being the Saint Louis Art Museum at the world-renowned museum’s July film series set on Art Hill. Sauce also has partnered with Hollywood Casino, the St. Louis Rams and the Friends of Tower Grove Park, to name a few, and the events continue to grow each season.

Last year during Sauce Food Truck Fridays’ six-month season, approximately 24,000 people attended the event series. Sauce Food Truck Fridays also has received national recognition from the industry publication FOLIO with its FOLIO and +min FAME Award for Best Regional Magazine Event Nationwide in both 2012 and 2013.

“It continues to draw from the local and surrounding areas with frequent out-of-state visitors,” Mace noted. “We have expanded the truck line up to the max of 24, and incorporated our local top breweries — 4 Hands Brewing Company and Urban Chestnut Brewing Company — this year.”

Of course the festive atmosphere is enhanced by other epicurean additions.

“Millennials, kids, dogs, families, neighbors,” Mace said about who can be seen at any given Sauce Food Truck Fridays gathering.

Mace is especially excited to venture into the Metro East with Sauce’s first Illinois Food Truck Festival, in partnership with Alton Liberty Bank Amphitheater, from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, in Alton at Riverfront Park’s premier venue.

“We are happy to have been able to work with Liberty Bank Amphitheater. We hope to grow a great event and we’re always open to expansion in St. Louis’ metro Illinois side due to a large following,” she said.

Completely Sauced – Menu that pays tribute to the cuisine of New Orleans, serving a variety of po’boys and traditional favorites like Jambalaya, red beans & rice, and beignets. www.completelysauced.com

Steak Louie – the St. Louis version of the cheesesteak. Offering a classic cheesesteak plus specialty version like the Sauced version with Monterey Jack cheese sauce, a bacon Louie, and a bourbon-mushroom Louie. www.steaklouie.com

Steamroller Bagel and Deli – steamed bagel sandwiches like the Kool Jules turkey and cheese, the Maestro ham and swiss, and the Shakedown Street with hummus and veggies. www.showmefoodtrucks.com/steamroller-food-truck

Totally Toasted – brand new food truck set up in a converted school bus serving wraps, soups, coffee, and creative paninis like the Pizzanini, pulled pork, and spinach-cheese. www.facebook.com/Totallytoastedtruck

Celebrated blues musician Marquise Knox will provide live music during the event. Knox has been named the future of the blues and has played with legends like BB King, Henry Townsend, and Honeyboy Edwards.

Metro East’s first Food Truck Festival of family fun

By Jill Moon

jmoon@civitasmedia.com

Since May of 2011, when Sauce Food Truck Fridays began, it has hosted 27 food truck festivals, which run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park, pictured, in St. Louis.

http://www.thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_FOODTRUCK1.jpgSince May of 2011, when Sauce Food Truck Fridays began, it has hosted 27 food truck festivals, which run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park, pictured, in St. Louis.

Last year during Sauce Food Truck Fridays’ six-month season, approximately 24,000 people attended the event series. Sauce Food Truck Fridays also has received national recognition from the industry publication FOLIO with its FOLIO and +min FAME Award for Best Regional Magazine Event Nationwide in both 2012 and 2013. Sauce Food Truck Fridays run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park, pictured, in St. Louis.

http://www.thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_FOODTRUCK2.jpgLast year during Sauce Food Truck Fridays’ six-month season, approximately 24,000 people attended the event series. Sauce Food Truck Fridays also has received national recognition from the industry publication FOLIO with its FOLIO and +min FAME Award for Best Regional Magazine Event Nationwide in both 2012 and 2013. Sauce Food Truck Fridays run May through October on the second Friday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tower Grove Park, pictured, in St. Louis.